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Effects of Developmental Gymnastics on Preschoolers' Motor Skills

NCT06315036 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 300

Last updated 2024-03-18

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Background: During childhood, physical activity (PA) is considered indispensable for developing motor skills through movement in the early stages of human development. Being active helps individuals develop fine and gross motor skills (GMS) by promoting an active lifestyle. Notably, this phase, characterized by regular PA and attaining motor competence, is associated with many health-related benefits. Early motor intervention programs have garnered attention for their positive influence on children's motor skills, as evidenced by various studies. A spectrum of more specialized methods is available alongside these general approaches, including programs designed to augment the time dedicated to general PA within school environments. Previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of incorporating experimental exercise interventions, grounded in enjoyable activities and game drills, into the curriculum, significantly improving children's basic motor skills. Many research articles have explored the impact of developmental gymnastics (DG) on children's fitness, indicating that gymnastics training can produce numerous beneficial outcomes for children's physical fitness.

Method and Materials: Three hundred preschool children were assigned to either a gender-balanced group participating in a DG exercise program (EG; n=99) or a control group (CG; n=121). While individuals in the CG followed three structured extracurricular physical activities per week in kindergarten, the EG participants received 60 minutes of the DG exercise program two days a week. The Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) was used to assess GMS.

Aim: The study aimed to determine if participation in a structured DG program could improve GMS among preschool children compared to those in a group that attended extracurricular physical activities in a kindergarten.

Conditions

  • Motor Activity
  • Child Development
  • Exercise

Interventions

OTHER

Developmental gymnastics

The DG exercise program ran from September 15, 2021, to May 15, 2022, in a well-equipped gymnasium. Led by trained teachers and gymnastics experts, sessions were held twice weekly (Tuesday and Thursday) for 60 minutes. The program focused on stability, locomotor skills, and manipulation, introducing children to DG fundamentals. It included circuit and station training, obstacle courses, and gradually increased exercise complexity. Sessions comprised a 15-minute warm-up, a 40-minute main session with skill practice and conditioning, and a 5-minute cool-down. The atmosphere was positive and friendly, with kid-friendly music and adapted procedures from previous research.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Novi Sad

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Dragan Marinkovic · University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sport and Physical Education

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
4 Years
Max Age
7 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2021-09-05
Primary Completion
2021-09-10
Completion
2022-05-10

Countries

  • Serbia

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06315036 on ClinicalTrials.gov